I've thought about it and started working on a plan to install one in my camper. Honestly they make sense and really don't cost all that much either. My camper has the shower in it for my wife of course and the small water heater I have now works but is not designed for the load - amount of water on demand for a shower that she desires. besides I should be able to gain more storage space too by removing the old one. That's a plus in itself ! It's not rocket science to install one so in the near future that's my next project. I will give details when I get the project done.
If your hot water heater is old or on the way out you really have to consider installing a on demand just to keep peace in the family for sure !!
There is alot of option out there for tankless or on demand hot water heaters. Most can replace the old style propane tank version....or add into a trailer that does NOT have hot water.
Marley is good if you want to add an external tankless hot water (use as standalone and/or pipe into trailer). [Image Can Not Be Found]
I think unless you have a full size trailer (not popup) then you might be able to install a built in one.
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Other options are electric options which are MUCH smaller (which is what I am converting my 1980 Coleman with) but required 15 to 60 amps or more or might require 110 or 220 Volts of power. Mine I got required 20 amps (but I installed 110volt 30 amp service into the trailer already)
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or
simular to what I got:
If you need just for a shower - you might look at point of use warm water like
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I grew up with something simular as above for our sink hot water in our cabin for YEARS. Works good.
As I type this my Class C is at the shop to have the HWH replaced. I thought about the tankless but decided against it. In order for the hot water to be produced the hot water needs to be on and running to call for a demand. Then it will start to heat up. I don't camp with hook ups often so I am limited to the water in my tank and the capacity of my gray water tank. I was afraid of wasting too much water before it got hot.
Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer. Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.
It could run quite a bit more water if you have electric tankless (not the shower head one). Gas ones should be very little difference (nearly instant hot). You still have to run all the cool/cold water out of the lines from the tank to tap anyway. Difference I would think is a cup or so of water (out of the several you already poured out draining the lines). As well if you have a a 2 to 10 gallon tank -your heating that 24 hours a day using propane - most POP-UPs have one 20lbs tank- larger TT and motor-homes have dual 35lbs. Just thinking --- if you have a motor-home - is it a permanently mounted tank? Regardless - if you use up gas - you have to drive further than the nearest dump site at a the campground, most here do not have propane filling.
You do have a valid point I am not sure how much extra water you have to dump before it heated to temp.....but note I only use hot water for dishes (which would need a bit of cool water anyway - I like skin on the hands not blisters and cooked flesh) and showers (once a day)....
It is a balance of heating 2 to 10 gallons of water 24 hours for every day your out there and using up propane....vers....wasting a few cups of water into the grey water tank.
I have a switch inside to turn the HWH on. It only takes 10 min to heat up 6 gallons of water. Once I'm done I turn it off and it will stay warmish to wash hands between firing it up. Plus it is an extra 6 gallons of water capacity so it boosts my 30 gallons of water up to 36.
I looked into getting a HWH that was both gas and electric but it was an extra $100 more than the gas only one. I figured the savings of running it on electric when I was plugged in would never add up to $100 of propane, unless I had it for 25 years and my RV is already 25 years old.....I don't plan on driving a 50 year old RV 😀
Matt O 2006 Skyline Nomad 27' travel trailer. Previously owned 1986 Coleman Columbia / 1992 Coleman Senecca / 1989 Born Free Class C RV.
That makes perfect sense too. For a shower or dishes - you know your going to do ether ahead of time anyway - turn it on 10 min before is not too much to ask. In my POP-UP there never was a traditional RV HWT - and had limited space and did not want to muck with propane lines etc.... so I went with inline tankless (about the size of a large dictionary or larger bible). I think if I had a HWT that I would not replace it until it broke.
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